A golfer must practice and perfect his putting skills in order to be a successful golfer. Accordingly, there are many known methods and devices utilized in the art that facilitate a golfer in practicing his putting. One of the more common practice methods is for the golfer to practice putting a relatively short distance from a hole on a golf green and to repetitively putt towards that hole. This method is not convenient to the golfer, however, in that it includes green fees, cannot be practiced during inclement weather, and requires the golfer to continually retrieve his putted golf balls.
Many of the known golf putting devices return a golf ball towards a putting location under the influence of gravity. Such devices typically require a user to putt a golf ball up an inclined surface where the ball is to be received through a hole and subsequently discharged through a chute. The potential energy of the golf ball at the height of the hole thus is converted into kinetic energy to return the ball towards the putting area. U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,637, to Cross et al., dated Dec. 23, 1980, discloses such a device. Specifically, a putting practice apparatus is disclosed that returns a golf ball by passing putted balls through a channel underneath the putting surface of the device. Such a device necessarily requires the user to engage in some physical manipulation of the device to return the balls, namely the displacement of an internal rod, as it does not return any balls to the putting surface. This device therefore is not convenient to use in that it does not allow the user to putt continually, nor does it allow the user to retain the same physical position while golf balls are being returned to the user.
It is also known in the art to utilize an electro-mechanical device to return putted balls to the user. U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,141 to Jordan, dated Apr. 7, 1992, discloses a golf putting practice device that returns balls to the user through a ramp structure. An electro-mechanical "kicker" that applies a striking force to the golf balls is placed at the far end of the ramp, thereby forcing the balls toward the user. The inclusion of the kicker in the putting device increases the device weight, thus reducing its effective portability. Such an apparatus furthermore requires a power supply which increases operating costs and limits the range of settings for the use of the device.
In addition to the prior noted limitations, neither of the prior noted devices discloses any type of apparatus that elevates the standing position of the user to the level of the putting surface. Such an elevation apparatus increases the realism of the putting as it can be adapted to serve other important functions.
Accordingly, there is a great need for a device that allows a user to continually and conveniently practice putting a series of golf balls towards a hole, where such a device returns the golf balls to the user in response to a subtle motion of the user.